University of Maryland to examine bringing back dropped sports

The Maryland Terrapins have formed a committee to help with the university's move to the Big Ten and the Committee for Institutional Cooperation. The committee is named the Big Ten/CIC integration committee, and one of the major topics for the committee will be the seven varsity sports Maryland cut last year.

The Terrapins discontinued men and women's swimming, men's tennis, women's water polo, acrobatics and tumbling, men's cross country and men's indoor track field. Maryland's athletic-department has a multi-million dollar deficit, and these seven programs could not raise enough money to remain viable.

The commission will review the seven programs and the department's finances, and give a recommendation on whether some or all of the programs should be reinstated, as well as what year. Maryland President Wallace D. Loh wants the committee to think about the long-term financial health of the athletic department when making their decisions.

Maryland will officially move to the Big Ten on July 1, 2014. The move is expected to bring increased revenue to the athletic department.